First Command
by Darkpenn
Summary: Garnett and Granderson have new challenges to face.


**First Command**

 _Garnett and Granderson have new challenges to face._

 _[Author's note: This story follows the story_ A Great and Terrible Thing _. It takes place after the events of Episode 11 of Season 3 and before Episode 12.]_

CNO Tom Chandler was watching the repairs to the _Nathan James_ , moored at dock at Okinawa Base, from the office of the base commander, Captain O'Connor.

"Considering the damage, it's amazing you made it here," said O'Connor. "But we can fix you up enough to get home."

The base was running at maybe ten per cent of its pre-plague capacity, but as far as Chandler was concerned even that was a miracle. There was another US ship, the frigate _Davis,_ in a repair siding. An older ship that had been recalled to active service in the early days of the plague, it was now being re-built after being extensively damaged. But it lacked a crew. Chandler had suggested that the survivors of the _Hayward_ , including its captain, would be suitable.

"Well, the _James_ did take a Chinese missile in the guts," said Captain Mike Slattery, as he studied the list of repairs that needed to be done. "But it's a very tough ship."

"Like its crew," said Chandler.

"And you picked up a new acquisition," said O'Connor, pointing at the Chinese Navy – formerly Chinese Navy – destroyer _Henan_ , anchored offshore. "What are you going to do with it? And the crew?"

"I can say that we won't be handing it back to Peng's people," said Chandler. "Our chief engineer is taking a close look at it. We thought we might be able to use their helo, since we don't have one, but she says the systems are incompatible."

There was a knock on the door, and Lieutenant Alisha Granderson entered. She was carrying a tape recorder.

"Sorry to interrupt, sirs, but there is something you should hear," she said. "We picked it up on the _Nathan James_. Sounds like a call for help. It's a repeating message, in Japanese, Chinese and English. This is the English version." She pushed the PLAY button.

"This is Hokkaido University, in Sapporo," said a voice. "We request urgent help from anyone who receives this message. We are not sick but we could not reach Honshu to receive the Cure from the Americans. We are out of food and we do not have enough fuel to last the winter. Please help us."

"We've tried replying on the same frequency but no joy," said Granderson.

"One of the last news broadcasts from northern Japan said that the tunnel between Honshu and Hokkaido was completely impassable," said O'Connor. "And of course the ferries had stopped long before."

"In this case, that was good news for them," muttered Slattery.

"Even if you want to send a ship, the _Nathan James_ isn't ready," said O'Connor. "And we don't have any ships on the base that could make it and we can spare."

"There is another ship," said Chandler. He pointed at the _Henan_. "Humanitarian mission, how hard can it be?"

"No harder than anything else," said Slattery. "And I know who should take the captain's chair."

O'Connor nodded. "Well, we can provide the fuel," he said. "By the way, Captain Chandler, the regular supply plane from the US arrived a few hours ago. It had a package of mail for the crew of the _James_. I'll have it sent over."

* * *

The mail was distributed at dinner in the mess hall of the _Nathan James_ that evening. Danny Green insisted on showing everyone the video of his baby until they begged for mercy, but despite such transgressions the _Nathan James_ crew was glad for the news from home.

Granderson received a package with an address in handwriting she did not recognise. Judging from the number of re-directions on the front, the package had obviously been trying to catch up with her for a long time.

She went out onto the deck, where it was still light, and opened it. There was a note – and a phone.

The note read: _Dear Ms Granderson. I worked with your partner Sara, here in the hospital. I regret to say that, while she survived the plague outbreak, she did not survive the nuclear attack on this city. Right until the very end, she was doing everything possible to help people, even though she was very aware that she had not completed her medical studies. She often spoke of you, and she often looked at pictures of the two of you on this phone. So I thought you should have it. My deepest condolences._

Granderson looked at the note for a long time.

A voice said: "Bad news?"

It was Miller. She handed him the note. He read it.

"I thought ... after not hearing from her, not being able to contact her ... I thought I had come to terms with it ... with her probably being ... gone. But seeing it written down ... " she murmured.

"Alisha," he said. "I'm so sorry."

She put her head on his chest and sobbed. Gently, he put his arms around her.

* * *

It was the next day when Garnett entered Chandler's office on the _Nathan James_. Slattery was there.

"Can you do it?" said Chandler.

Garnett looked from one of them to the other. "Theoretically," she said.

"First command," said Slattery, with a smile.

"I did not expect my first ship to have all the instructions in Chinese," she said. "But some of the former crew – not the officers – have said they would like to continue their jobs. They had no great loyalty to Peng, and they seem pretty glad he is gone. The helo crew has volunteered as well. Which is good, since we don't have any pilots."

"You think they can be trusted?" said Slattery.

"If we pick them carefully and ensure that our people keep the keys to the armoury, I do. One condition, though. They want to be paid. The same rates as US personnel. At least, I think that's what they want. The language difference is going to be a problem, with none of them speaking English and none of us speaking Chinese."

Slattery gave a chuckle. "I'll leave that decision to you, Acting Captain Garnett," he said.

* * *

Granderson was sitting alone at a table in the mess hall, scrolling through the pictures on the phone, which she had been able to re-charge. She returned to the main screen. Hmm, there was an app there she hadn't seen before, Sara must have loaded it after their last meeting. She examined it.

"Ah," she said aloud.

She went to Slattery's office, and he waved her in.

"This phone," she said, "belonged to my ... partner. Before she ... died. A friend of hers sent it to me. But I noticed that it has an app on it that can be used for translation. Sara – my partner – probably used it to help with patients who spoke Spanish but it has other languages, including Chinese and Japanese. It's basic stuff, but better than nothing. It might help us with the language problem, both with the Chinese and the Japanese."

She showed Slattery how you typed a phrase into the phone and the phone 'spoke' it in the chosen language. She said that she would be able to copy the app onto other phones. "Great idea, get on it," he said. He handed it back to her. "Good to know that all the phones we have on board might be useful for something.

"Lieutenant, I understand that LCDR Garnett has asked you to be Acting XO on the _Henan_. Given the news you have just received, are you up for that?"

She nodded. "I will do my duty," she said.

* * *

Garnett, seated in the command chair on the bridge of the _Henan_ , was watching the western coast of the island of Hokkaido slide by as the ship travelled north. Despite the patched-together composition of the crew, she thought, things were going well. Slightly more than half were Americans, with most from the _Nathan James_ but a good number of the _Hayward_ survivors, and the rest were the original crew of the _Henan_ who had volunteered for the mission. The Chinese men – there were no women amongst them – seemed very happy to be working. _I guess the sea calls to the sailors of any country_ , she thought.

She smiled when she looked at the instruments and equipment on the bridge; there were dozens of Post-it notes stuck around, with English translations and instructions. It had helped that the layout of the _Henan_ was familiar; it was, after all, based on the _Arleigh Burke_ template.

The helo pilot, a man called Bao, appeared; she had sent for him. She liked Bao; as he was the ranking Chinese she often worked with him, and they got on well. She took out her phone with the translation app.

"We will soon be in helo range of Hokkaido University," she said through the phone. "I want you to do a flyover to scout the situation. Land and assess if warranted."

He nodded and took the phone from her to key in a phrase. "Will you be coming?" he said.

She considered. She knew that the captain was supposed to stay on the ship. But for sizing up a situation there was nothing better than personal observation. And a leader should lead – from the front. Suddenly, she appreciated the dilemma that Slattery and Chandler had often faced.

"As this is a scouting mission, it will be led by XO Granderson," she said. "She will select other members for the away team. Team designation will be Yinglong."

Bao smiled. Yinglong. Flying dragon.

* * *

The helo had been out of the _Henan_ 's radar range for ten minutes. Gator was manning Granderson's surveillance station.

"Sir, we are picking up something," he said to Garnett. "Helo, I think, judging from the speed."

"Ours, returning?"

"No, this is from the north. Definitely heading our way."

Garnett raised her binoculars to study the approaching dot. "Sound action stations," she said. "But no firing unless I give a direct command, make sure the Chinese understand that. Gator, are there any military bases in this part of the world?"

"Not on the maps, sir. But ... things are pretty messy around here."

Garnett nodded. She called for Wang Ho, the most senior of the Chinese after Bao, to come to the bridge. He had a few words of English. By the time he reached the bridge the incoming helo was markedly closer.

"Russian," said Gator, studying it through a high-powered camera lens. "Type known as Black Shark. Tough mother, armed to the teeth."

"Bad," murmured Wang. "Very bad."

"Why very bad?" said Garnett.

"China, Russia, war, here in north," he said.

"Well, maybe that explains why Beijing went dark," said Gator. "Vladivostok, too."

"Maybe," said Garnett. "And maybe the Russians had a base on Sakhalin. One they kept quiet."

The Black Shark was circling them now, being tracked by the ship's guns. It studied the Chinese flag painted on the side of the superstructure. Garnett held her breath: she was not sure that the Chinese crew had understood her order to hold fire.

Then the helo turned and sped away, going north.

Garnett let herself exhale. "Good or bad?" she said to Wang, through the phone.

"With Russians, always bad," he replied.

"Sapparo Bay in sight, eta twenty mikes," said Gator.

* * *

Granderson had chosen Miller and two of the _Hayward_ marines, Corris and Mancini, for her away team; and there was Bao and the helo co-pilot. They had reached the campus of the Hokkaido University. Some of it had been destroyed, ransacked. But one section seemed relatively untouched. On the flat roof of the main building, there were some roughly-painted words in Japanese.

"I'm guessing, help," said Miller.

It looked as if the entrance to the building complex had been barricaded with vehicles and machinery. The main gate was blocked by a bus. All the trees inside the secured area had been cut down – probably for fuel, thought Granderson. She knew that it got cold around here.

She gestured for Bao to circle the building at low altitude. She was counting on the noise to alert any survivors.

In a few moments, several people came out, waving. They were unarmed, and looked malnourished.

"Looks like we might be just in time," said Corris.

They landed, and several survivors came running up as Granderson and the others got out of the helo.

The survivors started in surprise to see Western faces, but one man stepped forward. "I am Souchiro Tatagi," he said in English. "Professor of languages. You are American?"

"We are," said Granderson. "And Chinese. It is good to have someone here that speaks English."

"I studied and taught in Vancouver for a while," he said.

"We have a ship that can take you to safety," said Granderson. "And we have the Cure as well."

"That is very good news," said Tatagi, as he led them downstairs. "We have about seventy people here, a mix of staff, students, and faculty. We're completely out of food. For a while we could go into the town but we haven't been able to do that for months. Too dangerous."

"What sort of dangerous?" said Miller.

"At first, marauders and scavengers. Then soldiers, Russians, coming from somewhere in the north, probably Sakhalin, stripping the place for supplies. Dogs as well, domestic dogs gone feral."

"Do you have any weapons?" said Mancini.

"Nothing. We managed to build a transmitter from parts in a class workshop but aside from that all we've been able to do is stay quiet. We think the Russians don't know we are here. But we had to take a chance and send that radio signal. We were desperate."

They were on the third story of the building, where most of the survivors were. Miller was looking out a window. "Sir," he said to Granderson. "Movement in the city. Vehicles. Coming this way."

Granderson joined him at the window and lifted her binoculars. Russians.

She considered. "Tatagi, get your people ready to move," she said. "We're going to the dock, we'll meet our ship there." She looked around at the survivors. They were not in much shape for the walk, several kilometres, to the dock. "That bus at the gate," she said. "Does it work?"

"Probably, but we don't have keys," said Tatagi. "We pushed it into position."

"Mancini can hot-wire a bus," said Corris. "He's from New Jersey."

"Hey!" said Mancini. "What, you think that everyone from Jersey know how to steal cars? Trenton has a world-class orchestra and a thriving arts scene, you know. Had."

"Be that as it may," said Granderson, "Mancini, can you hot-wire a bus?"

He sighed. "Yeah," he said. "I can. But the batteries will be dead. Might work if we could jump-start it. Which would need another vehicle."

"We have a vehicle," said Granderson. "The helo. Might take some imaginative wiring but should work."

"In theory," said Mancini.

"But those Russian troops will be here before we can do all that," said Miller. "And they don't look like they're planning a friendly chat."

"Neither am I," said Granderson. She activated her radio link to the _Henan_. "This is Yinglong leader," she said.

* * *

The _Henan_ was entering Sapparo Bay when Garnett's intercom buzzed. It was Burk in Fire Control. "Two contacts, one north and one west," he said. "Closing. Russian. The one in the west is a missile destroyer, footprint suggests it is the _Smetlivy._ The one in the north is a light carrier, probably has Black Shark choppers as well as missile capacity, designation unknown."

"Hail both," said Garnett. "Let them know that this ship is under American control."

In a few moments, Burk said: "Commander Popov, the captain of the light carrier, has replied and is asking to speak to the captain. He speaks English. Nothing from the destroyer."

She picked up the phone. "Commander Popov, I am Captain Garnett of the US Navy, in command of the ship _Henan_ , formerly of the Chinese navy," she said.

There was a long silence on the other end. Then a voice said: "That must be an interesting story."

"It's an interesting world, these days."

"Are you aware that Russia and China are currently at war?" he said.

"So I have heard. But ... is there really a point, now?"

There was another long silence. "Perhaps not. But I have my orders. To maintain our Sakhalin base and control all the territory around it. Orders from Moscow."

"Commander, my understanding is the Moscow no longer exists. And neither does Beijing. I say again, is there a point in continued hostilities?"

After a long pause, Popov said: "That is a question I have asked myself many times. But I do not have a way out."

Garnett considered. "As a neutral party in this conflict," she said, "I have a proposal."

* * *

Lieutenant Brinzi, in charge of the team assigned to take the people at Hokkaido University prisoner, was surprised to round a corner and see a dark-skinned woman and a red-headed man, both in US navy uniforms, standing in front of the gates. Behind them, a Chinese helo was on the ground, and there were cables running from it to a bus.

He signalled for the little convoy – an armoured car and a truck, a dozen men in all – to halt. He dismounted and went up to the two Americans.

"Mister Burk, don't fail me," muttered Granderson to herself. She took out her phone, switched the language to Russian, and typed in a few phrases.

"These people have asked for our protection and we will give it," said the phone. "Turn around and depart and there will be no trouble."

The Russian started at the voice coming from the phone. He pointed to himself. "Lieutenant Brinzi, Russian navy," he said. "You?"

"Wonder Woman," said Granderson. "US navy."

"We take them," he said.

"Not this day," she said.

Brinzi stared at her. He pointed to his men, and then to the two Americans, as if saying: _you are outnumbered._

Miller glanced at Granderson. He realised she was counting, silently.

She pointed at a nearby abandoned building. She snapped her fingers.

And the building exploded, with a flash and a roar.

She pointed at another building, on the other side of the street, and snapped her fingers again.

The building exploded, creating a shower of bricks and mortar.

She pointed at the platoon of Russians.

Brinzi stared at her in amazement.

Miller keyed something into his phone and held it up. It said: "Did you not know that American women have superpowers?"

Brinzi started. "Su ... superpowers?" he said.

"Damn right," said Granderson.

Brinzi looked behind him. His men were already backing away. He decided he would join them.

"That was a nice touch," said Granderson to Miller, as they watched the Russians depart. "But they might come back with some kryptonite, so we should be on our way as quickly as possible."

They heard the bus cough, splutter, and rumble into life. "All aboard!" shouted Mancini.

* * *

The helo with Granderson and Miller – Corris and Mancini were with the survivors, organising for them to be brought to the ship by boat – touched down on the _Henan_. The helo team immediately began folding the rotors back and moving the craft into the hangar. In a few moments, Granderson saw why: there was another helo coming in. Russian.

Gator came up to her. "Captain says well done, Wonder Woman," he said.

Ganderson raised on eyebrow.

"Miller was telling the story before he even landed, by radio," said Gator. "Oh, the captain asks you to meet her in her office. With our other guests." He nodded towards the helo that had just landed. Several Russian officers were clambering out.

Popov shook Granderson's hand. "I have spoken with Lieutenant Brinzi and he was ... somewhat surprised ... at your ability to blow up buildings," he said.

"Party trick," said Granderson.

She took a seat next to Captain Garnett. The Russian officers were on the other side of the table.

"I understand that you have your orders of war," said Garnett to Popov, "but the people who issued those orders no longer exist. On either side. We encountered a Russian ship in the early days of the plague and the captain, a very senior figure, indicated that there was no longer a government to obey. You, Commander, are likely to be the most senior officer left. So if you believe there is no longer a purpose in continued hostilities, you might wish to issue a statement that the conflict is over. If that statement was transmitted from a neutral ship, this ship, it would have much greater effect."

Popov considered, and translated for his colleagues.

"The war is over?" said one of them. "Who won?"

"Does it really matter?" said Granderson.

The officer thought about it. Then he shook his head.

"There is another issue that comes into the decision," said Garnett. "We have the Cure to the Red Flu. We will be happy to provide it to anyone who wants it. But it would be ... difficult ... to distribute it to two peoples at war with each other."

"From a logistical perspective," put in Granderson.

Popov smiled. "Of course," he said. "Logistics. Much easier without a war going on. Captain, if I may use your transmission facilities, it would be appreciated. And then I will ensure that a more detailed statement is distributed as well, from Sakhalin base."

* * *

It was an hour later. Popov had made a short speech in Russian over wide-band radio, and the speech had been translated into Chinese and transmitted as well, by Wang. The Russian helo had returned to the carrier with several of the officers and a load of Cure; the _Henan_ 's helo would take Popov back when it was clear that the statement had been received by all Russian forces in the area.

Garnett and Popov were standing on the bridge of the Henan, watching the helo warm up. "Today, we have drawn a line under the past," he said. "We can move on."

"Well, this started out as a humanitarian mission," said Garnett. "And I suppose that it finished that way too. So now your carrier and the missile destroyer can go home, wherever that is."

Popov looked at her. "What missile destroyer?" he said.

"The one sitting off to the west. The _Smetlivy_ , we think."

"The _Smetlivy_? But that is a ship of the Black Sea fleet. It is not under my command. The last I heard of it, it was not responding to orders. Anyone's orders."

"Sir," said Granderson, at the radar station. "That missile destroyer ... it's moving. Towards us. It's ... holy shit! It's fired! Missiles, incoming!"

"Countermeasures!" shouted Garnett. "Helm, evasive action, hard to port, thirty seconds! Then hard to starboard!"

The intercom buzzed. Burt in Fire Control. "They have fired a second volley," he said calmly. "That makes two sets of three. Even one hit will send us straight to the bottom."

Popov was barking orders into his radio to the carrier.

The _Henan_ fired a set of intercepting missiles. Garnett and Popov watched as the first volley of incoming missiles were hit and exploded.

The second volley had changed course now, homing in on the _Henan_ , coming in low and fast.

Another set of three interceptors went off. One of the incoming missiles was struck and went down. But two of the interceptors were heading for the same missile. They hit it and it exploded.

The last one was still coming. Several of the guns of the _Henan_ were firing but the missile was too fast and too close for them to have much chance of hitting it.

And then the helo swung into the path of the missile, fifty metres from the ship. The explosion made everything on the _Henan_ shudder.

"Bao," whispered Garnett. Then: "Fire Control, target that son of a bitch!"

"No need," said Granderson. She pointed to the radar screen, which showed a flight of missiles about to hit the _Smetlivy_. Missiles from the carrier.

And then it was gone.

* * *

"It seems you had a remarkable adventure," said Chandler, as he finished reading the report.

"It had its moments, sirs," said Garnett.

"Nice face-down," said Slattery to Granderson.

"All credit should go to Mister Burt and Mister Miller," she said.

"Sirs, the Chinese crew of the _Henan_ have indicated that they want to return to China," said Garnett. "I have said that they can, and so can the officers. And I have said that those who served on this mission will be paid, at US rates and in US dollars."

Chandler nodded. "And you might want to know," he said, "that the survivors from Hokkaido have indicated that they want to work on the reconstruction of the Japanese archives. Some of them are historians, apparently."

"That's good," said Garnett. "And what now for the _Henan_?"

"Well, we're about to start for home," said Slattery. "The _Henan_ comes with us. With a skeleton crew, and with you still in the chair. If you want."

"Pleased to do so," said Garnett.

Garnett and Granderson left the CNO office. "So that was your first command," said Granderson.

"To tell the truth, I'm not sure I'm cut out for it," said Garnett. "I'm an engineer at heart. I like metal and steam and things that go clank. But you ... well, you have potential, Wonder Woman."

Granderson smiled. "We'll see," she said. "We'll see."

END


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